In 2022, Ella Zirina developed and recorded Intertwined in residency at BIMHUIS Productions. The result is a personal body of work: “When I was younger, I was inspired by Carlos Castenada's book The Teachings of Don Juan. I read how shamans, in states of expanded awareness, could see the energies of humans radiating outward as threads of yarn. Beings, thoughts and experiences find each other, intertwine, and weave a new fabric.”
The album cycles through feeling misunderstood in a male-dominated jazz environment, fighting back, pedaling through periods of hopelessness and finding respite under summer sunsets and soft breezes in her home country, Latvia.
Intertwined’s building blocks are melodic improvisations, all distinct in character, arranged together in a brimming and blossoming musical bouquet. Aside from featuring her trio and occasional guest appearances of Tineke Postma, Ella has lifted her music and stories with a string quartet. On the record she channels her broad musical influences: from Alexander Scriabin to Joni Mitchell and from Led Zeppelin to Bill Evans, Jim Hall and Wes Montgomery.
Ella Zirina - guitar, composition
(Special guest) Ben van Gelder - saxophone
Ton Felices - double bass
Eloi Pascual Nogue - drums
Līga Zīriņa - violin
Wouter Torringa - violin
Ida Weidner - viola
Joshua Herwig - cello